2017-2018 Chapter Initiative

What is the Chapter Initiative

This will be the first year of the Kansas FFA Chapter Initiative! The Chapter Initiative is an opportunity for FFA chapters to advocate on behalf of agricultural education, career and technical education, the agriculture industry, and FFA. This competition is meant to highlight some of the existing functions of chapters and document them in a way that showcases their influence. We wish you the best of luck in your year of service and the Chapter Initiative!

How Do We Tell Our Story

In order to complete the challenge, chapters will need to tell their story in the three categories of the school based agricultural education model. Each category includes three challenges.

Classroom:

This challenge provides FFA members the opportunity to share their stories about the valuable lessons taught in the classroom!

Challenge #1: Submit an article to a news publication about information being taught in agriculture education classrooms.

How this Challenge Will Be Scored: Each article will be worth 10 points, with a maximum of 40 points possible. The submission must include the date of publication, the name of the media publication, and a link to the article online (if available). If no online link is available, the submission must include a clipping of the article. Examples of news publications can include (but are not limited to) local newspapers, school newspapers, chapter newsletters, area publications, the High Plains Journal, and Grass & Grain.

Challenge #2: Host an industry representative in the classroom or take a trip to an industry representative.

How this Challenge Will Be Scored: Each presentation will be worth 10 points, with a maximum of 40 points possible. The submission must include a summary of the presentation and a picture to earn points. These industry visits may include but are not limited to Ag Ed Task Force, KSU College of Agriculture, Farm Bureau, welding company, farmer, etc.

Challenge #3: Classroom students provide an educational experience for other members of the school district (of any age).

How this Challenge Will Be Scored: Each educational experience will be worth 10 points, with a maximum of 40 points possible. Examples of these educational experiences may include (but are not limited to) Day on the Farm events with local elementary school students, PALS programs, presentations to other classes at the high school, or advocating about agriculture education to school board members. The submission must include a summary of the presentation and a picture to earn points.

SAE

Chapter members have a unique opportunity to promote SAEs within their chapter and community. This award area encourages chapters to share their experiential learning opportunities with others.

Challenge #1: Encourage members to apply for district proficiency awards.

How this Challenge Will Be Scored: Each chapter member who completes and submits a proficiency award application at the district level will earn their chapter 10 points. Totals per chapter will be derived from reports at District Selection Day. A maximum of 40 points are possible.

Challenge #2: Have an SAE presentation conducted by a chapter member (at a chapter meeting, event, etc.).

How this Challenge Will Be Scored: Each presentation will be worth 10 points, with a maximum of 50 points possible. Only one SAE presentation per event will count for points. Each presentation must be conducted by a different member to earn points. The submission must include a short summary and a picture of the SAE presentation to earn points.

Challenge #3: Encourage Members to Apply for SAE Grants

How this Challenge Will Be Scored: Each chapter member who submits an SAE grant application will earn their chapter 10 points with a maximum of 40 points.

FFA

Through this portion, each chapter will have a number of opportunities to tell the story of FFA! However, not every challenge has to be completed for a chapter to be able to submit their Chapter Initiative.

Challenge #1: Host a district officer at a chapter event.

How this Challenge Will Be Scored: Each visit will be worth 20 points, with a maximum of 40 points possible. Chapters may not invite district officers from their own chapter to earn points. The submission must include a picture and caption describing the event for each visit to earn points.

Challenge #2: Contribute pop tabs to the Kansas FFA service project.

How this Challenge Will Be Scored: The submission must include a picture of the pop tabs on a scale to earn points. Pop tabs will be collected at State Convention. All proceeds from the project will fund a donation to the service project selected annually by the Kansas FFA Executive Committee. Chapters will receive 5 points per pound of pop tabs with a maximum of 50 points.

How this Challenge Will Be Scored: If completed, this challenge will be worth 10 points with a maximum of 50 points. For this challenge, audio/visual media is defined as radio or television. Each submission should be for a separate event and consist of different content. Chapters will provide a captioned group photo with the station broadcaster to receive points.

Challenge #4: FFA Support Group.

How this Challenge Will Be Scored: If completed, this challenge will award 1 point per hour a supporter volunteers, with a maximum of 25 points. Chapter Officers are to keep a signed log of hours that a supporter volunteers towards an FFA event. To receive points, this hour log must be submitted.

Tie Breaker Challenges

In the event of a tie, this challenge will be used to separate chapters.

If your chapter won the Chapter Initiative, what would your chapter use the cash prize towards?

The local level is the heart of the FFA. Chapter members have gained experiences as a result of their involvement in FFA. Advocating for the organization at the local level ensures that others will continue to have those same opportunities! The winning chapter will receive recognition at State Convention, a cash prize, coupled with a pizza party with the state officers during the fall following State Convention.

Each chapter is eligible to compete in the challenge which runs from October 30, 2017 to March 9, 2018. To submit your challenge materials, complete the submission form online. Not all challenges must be completed to be eligible! A link to this form will be available on the Kansas FFA Association website. Items may be submitted at any time throughout the challenge and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on March 9, 2018.